Local businessman finds funding for homeless shelter

Turlock insurance salesman Grant Davis has a dream and what he calls “a vision from God.” The dream is to build a campus-style shelter in Turlock to house the homeless and serve those afflicted with addiction to drugs or alcohol.

In the last few days his dream took a huge jump toward reality. Davis has secured a letter of intent to provide $1 million from LandPro Development, based in Minneapolis, to form a non-profit foundation and build a homeless shelter in Turlock.

Currently, Davis is working to close a large-scale, multi-million dollar land development deal for LandPro. As part of his compensation from Land Pro, Davis would divert his fees directly to the shelter and the formation of a 501c non-profit.

LandPro managing member Charles Sameluk signed the letter of intent and said the money would be given only on Davis’ ability to close the insurance needs of his development.

“We’ve done our homework and we have no doubt Grant (Davis) will be able to get it done. I just have to say that the money is coming from us through him and it is dependent upon closing the deal,” said Sameluk.

Davis met with Turlock Mayor John Lazar and City Manager Roy Wasden on Friday to discuss how best to proceed once he secures the $1 million.

“This is a great opportunity for Turlock and we are real excited about this. We told him that we will support his efforts but the City of Turlock will not be in the shelter business. We advised him to meet with and work with stakeholder organizations like Turlock Gospel Mission, which, to my understanding, has identified a facility on D Street that they were previously interested in,” said Lazar.

Teamwork is something Davis said he is more than willing to do.

“I have faith in God that we will get this to move and it will take some time. I am envisioning a partnership with all the stakeholders — a facility in where organizations like We Care and Turlock Gospel Mission operate the facilities and me and my people just build it and fund it,” he said. “We (GDI) compete at the highest level of insurance nationally and internationally and that puts us in a position where we get paid for consulting and we really can just take a percentage of our fee and we can cut it out and divert it to a donation for the non-profit organization once we form it.”

Davis went on to acknowledge that $1 million is possibly not enough money to buy the land and build a shelter, but he said it is a good start and further fundraising efforts will be coming.